The opposition takes a pass on Ford’s follies

A regular person — i.e., not a politician — said to me the other day, “Good God, can you imagine if Rob Ford was a Liberal how the Conservatives would be going to town on it?” The airwaves, he said, would be full of ads showing Ford and Justin Trudeau locked arm in arm: ‘Soulmates.’

But the Liberals and New Democrats have steered clear of using Ford to tarnish the Conservative brand. Their commentaries have been restrained. They’re not sure Ford represents a big opportunity for them.

One reason is that they fear offending Ford Nation. There might be a backlash. If that’s true, it’s an odd rationale. In most of Ford Nation the brand of conservatism is so redneck its members would never consider voting for a left-leaning party.

Another reason is that they don’t want to appear unsympathetic to someone with Ford’s kinds of problems. Of cource, Ford’s problem with addiction doesn’t explain his bullying, his lying, his lewd misogynist diatribes, his anti-gay slurs or his anti-minority outbursts. Some of these statements he’s made in front of cameras. Booze may be part of his problem, but there are a lot of heavy drinkers out there who don’t act this way. Ford’s problem is a character problem. Rehab isn’t going to change that.

As for the notion that Ford somehow represents the ‘common man’ — well, I don’t know many who identify with the ‘common man’ who want to be like Rob Ford.

A third reason the opposition parties are gunshy of the Ford spectacle is that they know it’s unfair to link Ford to other Conservatives. In Ottawa, Conservatives have wisely steered away from the hot button social conservative issues that attract Fordites. The prime minister probably abhors Ford’s behaviour as much as anyone — but he hesitates to say much because Ford still commands a good deal of support. For the same reason, Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak is steering clear.

But given the disgraces Ford has brought to public life in this country, no politician of any stripe should be bending over backwards to excuse him. That Ford hails from the right side of conservative politics — and is a gross embarassment to conservatives — is something Justin Trudeau and Tom Mulcair need not pass over.

Trudeau says he wants to practise a more positive brand of politics. The idea is to draw a stark contrast with the guttersnipe proclivities of his Conservative opponents — who are still running an attack ad giving him the look of some sort of druggie.

His stated desire to raise the bar of politics is admirable. But there are different ways of doing it. One of them is to make sure Rob Ford stays away.